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CSU quarterback spot back up for debate

Grayson returns, so does Smith

By Mike BrohardLovelandReporter-Herald

Posted:
11/04/2012 10:18:57 PM MST

Updated:
11/04/2012 10:19:15 PM MST

FORT COLLINS -- Conner Smith received a second chance Saturday.

Twice.

The redshirt freshman quarterback started his second game for Colorado State, was benched at the end of the first half, re-entered in the fourth quarter and became the first Ram to throw for better than 300 yards in a game since last season.

That's pretty much a full day, one that was filled with ups and downs in the Rams' 45-31 loss to Wyoming in Laramie on Saturday.

Now that all three quarterbacks are healthy -- and that opening-game starter Garrett Grayson has seen game action again -- welcome to a quarterbackcompetition this week in practice.

"We'll probably go in with that same kind of deal," CSU coach Jim McElwain said. "We'll look at the film and decide which is the best opportunity to get us a win next week."

Smith's first half was rough. He completed 7-of-15 passes for 195 yards and a score, but also threw a high pass in the red zone Wyoming turned into a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. He had two other passes that could have been intercepted as well.

With that, Colorado State went back to Grayson. He was not sharp in his first action since having surgery on a broken collarbone Oct. 1, completing 3-of-9 passes for 31 yards, also throwing an interception. He did lead a scoring drive, with CSU getting a field goal in the third, but it wasn't the return he wanted.

The interception, I threw a few balls across the middle that were high that could have been big plays. It's things like that that are disappointing. I'm mad at myself."

If there was a positive, it's that Grayson took a hit and bounced back up. He took off on a third-down scramble that McElwain said, "I didn't like." Grayson, however, felt it was necessary in his recovery, mentally as much as anything.

"That was a big step," he said. "I think taking that first hit, Terry (DeZeeuw) our trainer has told me it's going to be sore off that first hit. You can't hurt it any more, but it will be sore. I came off the field and it was hurting a little bit, but it felt good to finally get that first hit out of the way."

McElwain said he wanted Smith to watch from the sidelines in the third and see some of the coverages he'd been missing. The gunslinger from Texas proved to be a quick study, as he hit on six of his eight passes for 131 yards in the fourth, including a 31-yard touchdown pass to Kivon Cartwright.

"The coaches explained it to me, just so I could see a few things coverage-wise and things I missed," he said. "I did miss a few things, and I deserved it. That's life. But I feel like I bounced back a little bit when I got my chance.

"It definitely helped me see the game from a different perspective, and when you get that opportunity, it's always a good thing, just because you don't always get to see it from the sideline. It helped me."

Cartwright said he felt both quarterbacks played well considering some factors and that Smith showed a lot of moxie in his return in the fourth. In his eyes, whoever starts next week will have the full confidence of the offense.

"Conner's a great quarterback, so it doesn't surprise me he can throw for 300 yards in limited minutes," Cartwright said. "We have three great quarterbacks who can step on the floor at any point and lead us to a victory. Whoever they count on to do it, I have full confidence they'll lead us to a victory."

Naturally, Grayson would like that to be him. He said early in the week in practice he was rusty, and he was again on Saturday. He also knows he'll have to win his job back with improved play.

"There's no doubt in my mind I wanted to play this week," he said. "They didn't want to rush me back into it is what coach was saying. They want to take as much time off as they could. Coach wanted to give me a chance today, and I didn't play my best. They gave Conner the looks from the sideline that they were planning on doing.

"I want to play next week, and I want to play the rest of the year. So it's really who plays better during the week."

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